By Joseph Staszewski
Alina Cerda provided a big finish to a big day for Francis Lewis.
The senior delivered a no-doubt blast to left center well over the head of the outfielder for a grand slam as part of a five-run fifth inning. It was the cap of Cerda’s five-RBI day and helped give the Patriots an impressive 13-1 five-inning, run-rule win over rival and host Bayside in PSAL Queens A-I softball May 8.
“It topped it off,” Cerda said. “I did feel like shedding some tears once I got home. It feels really great.”
The win avenges a 6-1 loss from earlier in the season and wreaks continued havoc on the division standings. Lewis Coach Bryan Brown called it his team’s best all-around performance of the season. His team excelled in all three phases showing off a balanced offense, superb defense and the Patriots got stellar pitching from Priscilla Lallave. The win moves Lewis, last year’s division champ, into a tie in the loss column with Bayside and gives Cardozo a chance to win the division outright.
“We played well defensively, we played small ball,” Brown said. “We had them a little off balance. This is perfect timing.”
Lewis (11-3), which reached the semifinals last season, used a mix of small ball and big hits. It got a run in the first inning on a bunt single by center fielder Kiara Libreros. The Patriots scored five more times in the fifth to take a 7-0 lead, highlighted by an RBI single by Cerda and a two-run double by Neileni Esmeral, who also threw out a runner at home to end the fourth.
They added another run in the fourth when Samantha Stelloh singled home Bianca Concepcion, who was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Samantha Lallave also had three hits and scored twice. Priscilla Lallave, her older sister, allowed just a run in the fourth on an RBI single by Tina Faracci. She gave up just five hits, walked two and struck out six. She missed her team’s recent loss to Cardozo while visiting her grandmother in Puerto Rico.
“It just shows that it doesn’t matter what kind of hit you get, if you get a grand slam like Alina did or get a little fake weird bunt thing like I did, it doesn’t matter,” Concepcion said. “Things will happen.”
Bayside Coach Maggie Kassimis was disappointed by her team’s effort in such an important game as they managed just a lone run in the fourth to make it 7-1. Pitcher Heidi Gomez collected two hits and scored a run. The Commodores (12-3) suffered their second straight loss and watched their bats continue to go quiet. Kassimis credited Lewis, a squad she thought was the team to beat in the division when the year began. She is now interested to see how her young team responds to some adversity late in the season.
“This is a very young team,” Kassimis said. “They have a lot of spirit. They have a lot of heart. We will get it together before the playoffs.”
Francis Lewis, on the other hand, sees itself playing its best softball with the postseason right around the corner.
“Not only did we hit great, we fielded phenomenally,” Concepcion said. “Our pitcher did great. We worked like a well-oiled machine.”
